Chamini Jayamali Perera

Dr Chamini Jayamali Perera is a Senior Lecturer with the Pancreatic Research Group at South West Sydney Clinical Campuses/Ingham Institute, Liverpool, affiliated with the University of New South Wales Faculty of Medicine and Health. Her research focuses on identifying biomarkers for early detection of pancreatic cancer to improve survival outcomes through innovative approaches using extracellular vesicles and 'omic' techniques.

Her primary research interests include:

• Early detection of pancreatic cancer
• Pancreatic cancer-related diabetes (PCRD)
• Extracellular vesicles and exosome characterization
• 'Omic' techniques for biomarker identification
• Gastroenterology and hepatology
• Cancer cell biology and tumour immunology

Dr Perera investigates the mechanisms of pancreatic cancer-related diabetes using cell culture and animal models, with particular focus on isolating and characterizing extracellular vesicles from cell secretions and plasma. Her work aims to translate these findings into clinical applications that can identify high-risk patients through biomarkers present in new-onset diabetes.

She has secured significant research funding including the GESA Mostyn Family Grant (2023-2024), PanKind Early Detection Innovation Grant (2022), NHMRC Ideas Grant (2020-2023), and CONCERT seed grant (2020-2022). Her research portfolio demonstrates a strong focus on translational medicine with direct clinical applications for early pancreatic cancer detection.

Dr Perera has received multiple awards including the Ingham Institute ECR Award (2022) and numerous travel grants from professional societies. She actively contributes to the research community through leadership roles as Founder of the Ingham Institute Public Speaking Club and Deputy Chair of the Ingham Institute Postdoc Association.

With expertise spanning both pancreatic cancer research and neuroscience (from her doctoral work), Dr Perera brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her research. She supervises Honours and PhD students in pancreatic cancer, chronic pancreatitis, diabetes, exosomes, and biomarker research while teaching Medicine Phase 1 Scenario Groups and various medical science subjects.